July 1, 2016

Lylburn Warren Booker
Lylburn Warren Booker, 98, passed away Monday (June 27, 2016) at Life Care Center of Red Bank, Chattanooga, Tenn.
She was born in Waynesboro April 17, 1918 to the late German Luther Warren and the late Mattie Kate Armentrout Warren. She moved to Waycross as a child, and she graduated from Waycross High School and Valdosta State College.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, the late John Ralph Booker Jr.
She was devoted to God, her family and her community. She began her career as a social worker with the Ware County Department of Public Welfare where she served as director from 1946 until 1954. She took a leave of absence to be a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child entered school. She then returned to the Department of Family and Children Services where she worked as a caseworker supervisor, working with foster care and adoptions.
The Booker Crippled Children’s Clinic was named in her honor because of her dedication to the cause. She retired in 1981 but went on to serve as the executive director of South Georgia United Way, as a social work consultant with several nursing homes in the area, and as the Ware County registrar.
She was an active member of First United Methodist Church where she served as Sunday School superintendent, Altar Guild chairperson, member of the administrative board, member of the Council on Ministries, Every Day with Love chairperson, member of United Methodist Women and youth Sunday School teacher.
Service to her community was one of her life missions. She was a founding member of the Magnolia House (Waycross Area Shelter for the Abused) serving as chairperson from 1984 until 2007. The Domestic Violence Center was named in her honor as well as the annual Lylburn Booker Volunteer Award.
In 2010, the board designated her chairperson emeritus. She also served on the board of Habitat for Humanity for numerous years.
She served on the Waycross College Foundation board of trustees for 28 years, serving as the foundation’s president from 1992 to 1994. In 2010, the board granted her the designation of trustee emeritus. She received numerous awards throughout her lifetime including the Kiwanis Club Miller Award for outstanding community service, the Liberty Bell Award from the Waycross Bar Association, Community Champion Award for Human Rights presented by the Georgia Community Action Association, and the J.J. Jones Humanitarian Award by Concerted Services, Inc.
She loved playing bridge with her best friends every Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon for more than 50 years. She took carpentry classes with her husband at Okefenokee Tech for 12 years making beautiful furniture that her family cherishes. Flower arranging, sewing, drawing, painting, crocheting and cooking were her other hobbies that she dearly loved.
Most of all she loved spending time with her grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, a sister, Ruth Warren Reese, and two brothers, Edwin “Bird” Warren and Luther “Tweet” Warren.
She is survived by two daughters, Barbara (Glynn) Hodges, of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Linda (Curt) Steedley, of Blackshear; five grandchildren, Alice Hodges, of Brookhaven, Ga., Matt (Jenny) Hodges, of Chattanooga, Tenn., Victor Steedley, Sergey Steedley and Yuri Steedley, all of Blackshear; one great-granddaughter, Hadleigh Grace Hodges, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and several special nieces and nephews, including Patti Reese White, of Waycross.
Her family wants to thank the staff of Manor House and Life Care Center of Red Bank, Chattanooga, Tenn., for the exceptional loving care provided to their mother. The CNA’s, nurses and other staff members soon recognized the big loving heart of a true Southern lady that continued to compliment everyone as they assisted her. They, along with residents, loved her Southern drawl and referred to her as “Meme.” She loved all her caregivers, but Marti Lawrence Hyder, with Manor House was exceptionally special. She would say, “I love you oodles and oodles.”
A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at First United Methodist Church in Waycross with the Magnolia House board of directors serving as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Every Day with Love fund at First United Methodist Church, 410 Williams St., Waycross, Ga. 31501 or the Magnolia House Shelter for the Abused, P. O. Box 1824, Waycross, Ga. 31502.
Sympathy may be expressed at www.milesodumfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are with Miles-Odum Funeral Home of Waycross.

Brenda Y. King
The celebration of life service for Brenda Y. King will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 702 Arnold McKinney Drive, Waycross, where the Rev. Fer-Rell M. Malone Sr. is pastor and will offer words of comfort.
The body will lie in repose in the church from 10 a.m. until the service hour.
The cortege will assemble at the family residence, 906 Byrd St., Saturday at 10:15 a.m.
The family will receive friends during a wake service this evening at Macedonia Baptist Church, 702 Arnold McKinney Drive, from 6 until 8 o’clock.
Sister Brenda King was born April 3, 1947 in Bronx, N.Y., to the late James and Edna Johnson. She was the only child. She grew up in the Bronx where she received her formal education from the public school system.
She was a former employee of K-Mart in Miami, Fla., and worked for a number of years until her retirement in 2002. She was a member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church where she sang in the Voices of Macedonia Choir under the pastorage of the Rev. Fer-Rell M. Malone Sr.
She departed this life Monday (June 20, 2016).
Those left to cherish her memories include her husband, Franklin Roosevelt King, of Waycross: three sons, De’Keith King, Kenneth King (fiancee’ Kissa), and Bryce King, all of Waycross; step-daughter, Lorie Hunter (Keith), of Atlanta; grandchildren, Kanyah, Takendra, Keith Jr., Brandon, of Atlanta, Treco, of Miami, Fla., Bryce Jr., Angelina and Jaszavin, all of Waycross; seven great-grandchildren; a cousin, Willie Smith, of Miami, Fla.; and a host of god-children and friends, Dianne and Richard Ingram, Betty and Otis Warren, Ossie, Cambrial, Jonathan Conley; and numerous other friends, of Waycross.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online guest book at www.perrybrothersfuneralhome.com
Professional services are entrusted to Perry Brothers Funeral Home, 1100 Ossie Davis Parkway, Waycross.

Mary Estelle Gibson
Mary Estelle Gibson, 74, died Thursday morning (June 30, 2016) at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross following an extended illness.
She was born in Wilcox County, Ga. but resided most of her life in Waycross. She retired from Walmart after 15 years of employment.
She was a daughter of the late Edward Anthony Crumpler and Minnie Leola White Crumpler. She was married to the late William P. Gibson.
She is survived by three sons, Steve Gibson (wife, Peggy), of Waycross, Randy Gibson (wife, Beth), of Waycross, and Pete Gibson (wife, Kay), of Waycross; eight grandchildren, Chris Gibson (Jenny), Kevin Gibson (Michelle), Amberlea Barber (Colby), Emily Gibson, Ashley Turner, Dalton Gibson, Emma Claborn (Casey) and Brandon Cannady (Cicily); five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at the Music Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening at the funeral home from 6 until 8 o’clock.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfuneralhome.com

Jake Billy Carter
Jake Billy Carter, 71, of the Racepond Community in Charlton County, passed away Thursday (June 30, 2016) after a long battle with cancer.
He was born Nov. 5, 1944 to the late Matthew and Minnie Crews Carter. He was a member of Racepond Church of God. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant son, Stanley Mark Carter, a brother, Maurice Carter, and a brother-in-law, Thomas Wyatt.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dollie Carter; two children, Anthony (Mona) Carter and Pam Carter; two brothers, Wiley (Rosie) Carter and Jake ((Hilda) Carter; a sister, Bobbie Wyatt; grandchildren, Kayla Carter and Cole Carter; and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
The funeral will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Racepond Church of God with the Rev. Lyn Graham and the Rev. Drew Dodd officiating.
The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service.
Burial will follow in the Racepond Cemetery at Sand Hill Baptist Church.
Condolences may be expressed by signing the guest registry at www.shepardfh.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Shepard-Roberson Funeral Home in Folkston.

James W. Oglesby Sr.
James Wade Oglesby Sr., 64, died Friday morning (July 1, 2016) at his residence in Blackshear after an extended illness.
The funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Music Funeral Home.

Gladys W. Bess
Gladys Welch Bess, 85, died Wednesday (June 29, 2016) at Hospice of Savannah in Savannah after an illness.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Adams Funeral Services, 510 Stephenson Ave., Savannah.

Mary Watkins
A graveside service for Mary Watkins was held Thursday morning at Oakland Cemetery with the Rev. Mark Williams officiating.
Serving as honorary pallbearers were members of the Tuesday Bridge Club.
Music Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.